Hay’s New Community Campus Starts to Take Shape
Twenty Years in the Making
After years of anticipation, the Forest Road sports facilities are moving from vision to reality, thanks to the dedicated efforts of local volunteers and financial support from Powys County Council. This milestone is a significant shift for Hay; for more than twenty years, behind our town’s vibrant cultural reputation and global literary fame, we have been missing the crucial, everyday infrastructure that our community needs.
It hasn’t been for lack of trying – many will remember back in 2009 when plans for a youth and community building on this very site were proposed but ultimately didn’t progress. Over the years, we have lived without a dedicated community space. Now, that patient wait is finally coming to an end.
With £200,000 unanimously approved by Powys County Council from the historic Brecknockshire reserve, the full backing of Hay Town Council, and a team of local architects and planning consultants already hard at work, the Hay Community Campus is finally starting to take shape.
A Space for Everyone off Forest Road
The main football pitch, leased to Hay St Mary’s Football Club on a 25-year lease, remains completely secure, and the club is progressing its own plans for new facilities. Beyond the pitch, the remainder of the site will evolve into a vibrant, multi-generational hub that maximises open space while centring all new built areas on sustainable, eco-conscious development.
The Community Building: A two-storey, ecofriendly hub housing the Youth Club and Hay Dial-a-Ride, featuring flexible rooms for meetings, performances, and local events.
Sports & Fitness Facilities: A year-round destination featuring a proposed swimming pool, gym, indoor multi-use area, outdoor equipment, and an all-weather MUGA for field sports.
The Growing Space: An inclusive, accessible community garden dedicated to fresh food, social connection, and wellbeing.
Local Business Units: Ten affordable, sustainable workspaces. Revenue from these units ensures the campus remains financially self-sustaining, protecting it from reliance on future public funding.
Help Shape the Journey
This campus belongs to our community, which is why your voice is at the centre of our plans. Before we submit our full planning application to the National Park Authority later this year, we want to ensure that these facilities serve everyone. Join us for site tours, explore the proposals, and share your ideas directly with our design team at CO2 Architects and TTP Consultancy. We are really keen to hear from community groups interested in using the facilities – now is your opportunity to help shape the design.
Stay in Touch
We are committed to sharing every step of this journey with you openly and honestly, which is why we are really looking forward to sharing more at the Hay Summer Show on Sunday 19th July, where you can chat to us about the site and the future community campus. If you can’t make that, you can always view detailed plans, register for open days, or send us your feedback – visit www.hadscal.org/contact to register for our newsletter. Let’s build a campus that truly reflects the remarkable spirit of Hay.
Article supplied by Hay & District Sports Community Association
